How Apple is Conquering the Enterprise

While more expensive than their alternatives, Apple products are worth a premium in the eyes of many consumers. Credit their ease of use and popularity and elegant design. And it is this very popularity that should ensure the continued development and support of new and existing apps. Translation: Apple’s ecosystem is stronger than ever, something hardly lost on technology decision makers in large organizations.

Apple’s penetration of the enterprise stems from many factors. Exhibit A: Its ecosystem. The strength of Apple’s ecosystem means that enterprise apps will continue to be developed for its products–and probably at an increasing rate. Force.com and Jive software are but two examples.

Apple’s ecosystem includes–and, in fact, may center upon–the rapid deployment of apps. While apps don’t really work for complex ERP and CRM apps (yet), the AppStore model better is clearly a superior one. Launching apps requires far less IT involvement and cost relative to traditional deployments. While initially proven in the consumer space, companies like Genentech are adapting it to the enteprise world.

And the model just makes sense, especially among talented, in-demand employees–many of whom who have left jobs because they were forced to use deficient technologies.

Finally, while not a major factor, Steve Jobs’ death shed light on his genius. Today, it’s just plain hip to be associated with Apple.

Competitor Missteps

As brilliantly as Apple has executed, that alone doesn’t explain the whole story. No, we have to look outward. Apple can credit a number of other external factors for its increasing enterprise penetration, including:

End user and IT frustration with existing applications, infrastructure.

Too many chiefs. Many IT departments are fed up with attempting to navigate complex EULAs, OEM agreements, and support issues among a cadre of vendors such as Microsoft and PC manufacturers like Lenovo.

Disappointment with ROI on past IT projects.

A new breed of CIOs and IT heads. These folks are less conservative and more open to new ways of doing things.

Of course, with respect to the tablet, until recently the iPad until recently faced no legitimate alternative. While that has changed with the success of Amazon’s Kindle Fire, the iPad is clearly a superior—if more expensive—device.